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NRCS Ecosystem Indicators Report - Appendix B — Ecosystem Indicators Matrix

Ecosystem Aspect System Processes Recovery Processes and Conditions Landscape and Community Structure Abiotic Features
Framing Questions and associated Assessment Questions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Indicators

Soil
Erosion
Sheet and rill X X   X             X
Wind erosion X X   X             X
Concentrated flow X X   X             X
Classic gully   X   X             X
Streambank X X                 X
Irrigation induced X X                 X
Soil mass movement X X                 X
Roads, scour areas   X                 X
Soil Condition
Tilth, crusting, X X   X             X
Infiltration X                   X
Compaction X X                 X
Excess chemicals       X             X
Excess organic waste   X                 X
Excess fertilizer       X             X
Excess pesticides       X             X
Soil micro/macro fauna       X              
Organic matter content       X              
Cation-exchange capacity       X              
Depth to pans/water table                     X
Permeability rate                     X
Shrink-swell potential                     X
pH       X             X
Soil Deposition
Onsite damage X X                 X
Offsite damage X X                 X
Onsite safety X         X          
Offsite safety X         X          

Water
Water Quantity
Seeps X                    
Ponding/flooding X X   X             X
Soil subsurface saturation X X   X             X
Inadequate outlets X                   X
Irrig. water mgmt. X     X             X
Nonirrigated water mgmt. X     X             X
Onsite conveyance capacity X                    
Offsite conveyance capacity X                    
Lake/streams capacity X                    
Groundwater overdraft X     X             X
Water Quality: groundwater
Pesticides           X          
Nutrients/organics   X       X          
Salinity   X                 X
Heavy metals           X          
Pathogens           X          
Water Quality: surface water
Pesticides           X          
Nutrients/organics   X       X          
Turbidity X X                 X
Low dissolved oxygen   X                  
Salinity   X                 X
Heavy metals           X          
Temperature X X                 X
Pathogens           X          
Aquatic habitat suitability X X                 X
Trophic state X X   X   X         X
Fish community assemblage X X   X             X
Macroinvertebrate assemblage X X   X             X

Air
Air Quality — Airborne sediment/smoke
Safety X                   X
Property damage X                   X
Health X         X         X
Conveyance                     X
Airborne chemical drift   X       X         X
Airborne odors                     X
Fungi, molds, pollen                      
Air Condition
Air temperature   X   X             X
Air Movement                     X
Humidity   X                 X

Plants
Suitability of plants
Not well adapted to site X X                 X
Unsuitable for intended use X X                 X
Condition of plants
Productivity X X X X             X
Health and vigor X X   X             X
Damage from wind                     X
Plant management
Establishment, growth, harvest X X X                
Nutrient management   X   X              
Pest management   X   X              
Crop rotations       X              
Crop genetic variability       X     X        
Non-crop genetic variability       X     X        
Percent natural vegetation             X        
Riparian zone condition             X       X
Fragmentation / connectedness of landscape patches             X       X
Natural plant communities
Biodiversity       X     X        
Abundance of multiple seral stages       X     X        
Threatened/endangered       X              

Animals
Habitat for Domestic and wildlife
Food requirements   X   X              
Cover/shelter       X     X       X
Water quantity and quality X     X   X         X
Threatened/endangered       X     X        
Wildlife habitat quality       X     X       X
Wildlife habitat quantity       X     X       X
Spatial configuration/availability       X     X       X
Fragmentation/landscape connectivity       X     X       X
Biodiversity       X     X        
Management
Population/resource balance   X   X              
Animal health   X   X              

Human
Economics — Financial viability production costs
Enterprise production costs     X   X     X      
Mortgage/rent     X                
Tax Payments     X         X   X  
Debt payments     X   X            
Commodity prices     X   X     X      
Access to production credit     X   X     X   X  
Access to technical assistance     X X X     X   X  
Access to production inputs         X   X X   X  
Access to markets                      
Economics — Government incentives
Conservation financial assistance     X         X   X  
Tax incentives     X         X   X  
Crop subsidy payments     X   X     X   X  
Competitiveness in market     X   X     X      
Diversification of farm enterprises       X X   X        
Off-farm income     X   X            
Family net income     X   X            
Discretionary income     X   X            
Economics — Infrastructure availability
Transportation         X   X X   X  
Communication         X   X     X  
Energy sources         X   X     X  
Social
Mgmt. experience/knowledge         X            
Cultural values and social norms               X X    
Personal networks: family/friends         X       X    
Community support organizations         X       X X  
Land ownership patterns             X        
Land development patterns             X        
Participation in public decisions                 X X  
Social — Institutional
Public social support programs     X   X     X   X  
Insurance         X     X      
Regulatory constraints     X   X     X      
Educational systems         X         X  
Health care systems         X X       X  
Major health problems           X       X  
Agrichemical handling           X          
Animal waste handling           X          
Farm safety procedures           X          

Continue to Appendix C



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